Code Lavender: A Holistic Choice of Support for Staff Resilience in an Ambulatory Care Setting

Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital long-standing mission is to provide compassionate, clinically excellent healthcare in the spirit of loving service to those in need, with special attention to the poor and vulnerable. This fully supports the missional foundation of the Emory Healthcare System to deliver quality healthcare in a safe, patient- and family-centered environment. For that to happen, it is vital that ways are established to care for staff in the midst of unforeseen crisis, whether that be personal or work-related. Experience tells us that too often healthcare workers are guilty of forging through the work schedule without recognizing emotional or physical pain, signs of burnout, or obvious compassion fatigue. Recognizing this, we began to investigate the possibility of a Code Lavender team-support initiative.

Timing, which supports need, is vital to the success of a program. After this past year, it is clear that a program like Code Lavender is ncessary as we continue to navigate the journey of COVID-19 and its impact on our world. Resilience and support programs are often implemented within the inpatient setting, but the emotional impact of life and work can be equally as stressful within the ambulatory care setting and should also be addressed in order to allow healthcare workers to perform at their best and provide optimal care. As noted in the ANA Code of Ethics provision 5, section 5.2, we know that "nurses are professionals who assess, intervene, evaluate, protect, promote, advocate, educate, and conduct research for the health and safety of others and society." Unfortunately, we often forget that we are part of society's community.

Today I will help you see the purpose for the program as we explore the past experience with Code Lavender at our 410-bed acute-care facilty, and now as a test of change within several cardiology units of the ambulatory care setting. I will also share our shift in common paradigm, review national and local results based on review of evidence-based research and data summary, and provide options for support and implementation after discussion of clinically relevant and applicable scenarios.

Learning objectives
1) Understand the purpose of Code Lavender and how it benefits the patient by supporting the caregiver.
2) Identify best practices and strategies that might adequately compliment their area after assessing need.
3)    Recognize the options for self-care and set standards for implementing this type of internal community support.
4)    Share the process in initiating a culture of support and self-care for both the clinical and non-clinical staff.